I am thrilled to be joining my friends in Troy, NY for the 6th annual At First Glance performance which takes place every year at the Arts Center of the Capital Region. I will be premiering a new extended version of my solo One Small Thing that will be performed again at the ACDA in West Chester later next month. I will also be performing the first iteration of a larger work later to come with my friend Laura Teeter. In Siren Study you can expect some sensuality and a bit of hair flipping. Performances are free of charge and start at 6pm and 7:30pm. Each one will run approximately 40 minutes and in this casual setting you may come and go as you please between works. We hope to see you there!

At First GlanceFriday February 27th at 6pm + 7:30pmThe Arts Center of the Capital Region265 River St, Troy, New York 12180

After last year's two sold out shows, AnEvening of Duets will return for a third year! Created as a pre-Valentines performance, this event will highlight duets from the romantic to the volatile. I am thrilled to be a part of this stellar line up of twelve different dance artists from Philadelphia and NYC.

As for me, I will be performing an improvised duet with Cory Neale on the double bass. Cory and I have been meeting for weekly improvisation practice for the past two months and are excited to share our work in this intimate setting. Learn more about Cory below.

I'd also like to give a special shout out to my friend Daniel Fetecue who will be coming in from NYC on Sunday to perform a passionate and fun duet that he created while in residence at the NADINE Project.

Cory Neale is a double bassist, composer, and sound designer from Philadelphia, PA. He is resident composer and sound designer for Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, and also works with a variety of artists across the media spectrum, including the Walnut Street Theater, The Pearlman Sisters, Birds on a Wire Dance Theater, keila cordova dances, and Krista DeNio Productions, among many others. His work includes writing and performing in solo and ensemble settings, sound design for theater, and live accompaniment and music production for choreography, installation, and film. He is a member of the bass section for the Abington Symphony Orchestra.

I just wanted to take a quick moment and share this article about the Rock School's Outreach program which I am very proud to be a part of. It is really amazing the number of students the Rock School impacts. I alone work with almost two hundred students a week through their residency program. Click the link to learn more about all the great things we are doing!

My recent performance in the InHale Performance Series, a choreographers showcase hosted by Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, was reviewed by Gregory King of thINKingDance. Here is what he had to say!

"The show opened with Jennifer Yackel’s One Small Thing. In a solo that delivered elegant lines and controlled movement, she painted her canvas with glorious extensions, arabesques and smooth sequential gestures. Yackel danced with a precision that showcased her flawless ballet technique." -Gregory King, thINKingDance

I wanted to take a moment and share my new performance reel with you. It includes much of my own work as well as the work of Melissa Chisena, Angie Conte, Christy Williams, Lior Shneior, Ellen Sinopoli, and Mark Dendy. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

CALLY SPOONER | IT'S ABOUT YOU! This dance film will be projected tonight, Friday September 19th, on the High Line at 14th Street accompanied by the live performances of three Opera Singers. You can catch the show at 7:00pm, 7:45pm, or 8:30pm. I will be at one or two of the showings so hopefully I'll see you there! I was delighted to be a part of this project and to have the opportunity to work with both Cally Spooner and choreographer Adam Weinert. Admission is FREE and open to all ages. For more details go to: http://art.thehighline.org/project/callyspooner/

After almost a year long hiatus I am delighted to be performing next weekend with the NADINE Project. The informance will take place after a week long residency full of dance making at the beautiful Dragon's Egg in Ledyard, CT. Below are some photo's from last year's residency taken by Rich Gill. Enjoy!

Saturday July 5th at 4pmFREE Open Studio Showing at the Dragon's Egg401 Shewville Rd, Ledyard CT

Once a year I can't help but share a bit from my teaching with the Rock School's Outreach program. Having the opportunity to reach out to children in Philadelphia's public and charter schools and sharing with them the joy of dance is extremely rewarding. Only working for forty-five minutes to an hour a week throughout the year we are able to cover basic technique, stretching, choreography, stage directions, and creative movement activities. I just got my hands on some rehearsal and performance footage of my 5th grade students last year at Gesu School and couldn't wait to share it. It was my second year working with this group of students. As you'll see they love dancing, even rehearsing on their own when I wasn't around. I hope you enjoy their talent and enthusiasm as much as I do!

This Friday I will be heading over to the CEC to support my good friend Melissa Chisena who is producing the second annual Evening of Duets! I have been involved in many of her past productions including last year's Evening of Duets and let me tell you, this lady knows how to put a show together! With work from eight different companies and independent artists, this pre-Valentines day show has something for everyone. These sorts of performances can be excellent for new viewers of Modern Dance because it gives you a idea of the wide spectrum that the genre can cover. Come check out some of the best independent dance that Philadelphia has to offer and make sure to get your tickets because Ms. Chisena also knows how to sell out a show! I hope to see you there!